Still There For Me
by WincestSounds
Summary: Courtney talks Bobby into staying on First Earth to try and stop Mark from introducing Forge to the Earth territories. Bobby had an easy time making the choice and Courtney knows why. Will Bobby be able to save Mark? Will he tell Mark how he REALLY feels?
1. Chapter 1: Call Me Old Fashioned

**Still There For Me

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**By: KaKaVegeGurl

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**Author's Note:**

Hey everyone!

I'm not sure how long I plan this fic to be, but I promise you all that it IS indeed a yaoi.

Also a note to everyone that if you haven't read book 8 then QUITE a bit of this will confuse you. You have to know the book a bit to read this because a lot of what Courtney goes through on the Queen Mary will still ring true. Though a fair few lines would have changed due to the fact that Bobby is there.

This is a take on if Bobby had stayed with Courtney on First Earth to help find Mark, yes, it's a YAOI. Do I care? Nay.

**As well a note to you all that this was a bit tricky so I kinda merged Journal # 28 and Journal # 29 for flow reasons.**

And for all of you Bark fans that are prolly squeeing in yer pants, I hope that you all enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it, and if you're a fanfic writer like me then WRITE SOME. I wanna read them too. T_T

Everyone that is still here come on in, take a seat and have a nice steaming cup of yaoi! Hobey Ho!

~KaKaVegeGurl

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**Side Notes:**

If the answers aren't so easy to find

The questions will have to do

'Cause I've lost myself deep in your eyes

My only fix is you

And it's clear, you will show

And your curtains will close

But if your heart is cold, my sheets are warm

I will shelter you through the storm

Saying what I am, what we are,

It's a start towards the truth.

Taking my breath with each day,

All I can stand in my heart, it's you

In the space between what's wrong and right,

You will find me waiting for you…

Lindsay Harper - All Over Me

**Chapter 1: Call Me Old Fashioned

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**JOURNAL #28**

**(continued)

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**First Earth**

"If something bad is going to happen to him then we've got to try and stop it."

"Exactly," Courtney walked over to the couch and sat down next to me, she held my hand and said; "the flume will put you where you want to be, when you want to be there. Stay here and help me find Mark."

That shocked me and I stared at her with wide eyes.

"Courtney-"

"Stay," she said firmly, "Ibara is important and we will get to that. But Mark needs you here. He just lost his parents. He's your best friend, and I know you want to be here for him, you love him."

I sighed, I was defeated, typical Courtney. She had no idea how badly she had won. It wasn't hard to convince me to stay on First Earth and save Mark. Mark may have needed me, but I needed Mark more then anything now. The fight for Quillan completely stole my confidence, I had said that I needed familiar faces and that was true. Courtney was good stuff, but I needed Mark. He was my best friend.

"Alright, I'll stay. Now let's get to bed."

I slept on the couch and Courtney slept in Gunny's bed. I spent most of my time writing this journal and thinking about what we would do the next day.

* * *

I don't even remember when I passed out but when I woke up my face was stuck to the paper and the pencil was still in my hand, I was stiff as a board. I wanted nothing more then to turn over and go back to bed but I knew it was a good time to get up.

It was just about seven in the morning and I went to the door of Gunny's bedroom and knocked.

"I'm up," I heard Courtney say from the other room and I walked in to see that she was more then awake.

She finished putting her hair up in a ponytail and turned to me, "good morning."

I took a seat on the bed and smiled, in some ways Courtney was more of my best friend then Mark was, there were things she knew better then anyone. The lies I could tell so easily to hide the truth. And in all honesty I've hidden them from my journals just as well. But Courtney knew better then to believe them.

I think it's finally time to write down the truth in my journals and my real feelings for Mark.

Courtney walked over to the bed and sat down beside me, "I've been thinking about something."

This made me frown and I raised a brow at her, "'Something'?"

"Yes," She said and took my hand as she had last night, "Bobby, are you going to tell Mark how you feel?"

"No." I answered faster then I could think.

But it was the complete truth, no way was I going to tell my best friend how I felt. Did she think I was stupid or something?

Courtney frowned at me, "Bobby, you've been lying in your journals, and you've been lying to him, and to Loor. I've been thinking for a while that it's been getting out of hand. You should tell Mark."

"You know why I can't."

"Yes I do," Courtney said thoughtfully, "and I don't think it's a good enough reason anymore."

"Courtney-"

"No," Courtney stood up and put her hands on her hips, "You love him, he has the right to know. Bobby, it's gone way over board. You can't keep trying to convince yourself that you love girls, it doesn't work like that. You tried to kiss Loor, it was convincing enough. What if she tries to kiss you? What are you gonna do?"

"Kiss her back?"

Courtney raised a brow at me and scoffed, "Oh yeah, like you could do that. What if Mark likes you, huh? Did you think of that?"

"Mark doesn't," I replied flatly.

"You can't know that!" Courtney was all a huff now, she threw her hands up and started to pace back and forth, "You two have been friends ever since you were kids, in elementary, I've been around Mark for a few good years to know a bit about how he feels for you-"

"That doesn't mean he likes me at all," I said, my eyebrows narrowing now, "Courtney, don't try to fool the both of us. Mark has posters of women over walls, we've talked about them quite a-"

"Oh please," Courtney growled at me, she got right in my face and hissed out, "You ever think maybe he was lying about his feelings for you just as you were to him?"

I backed up and stood. "Do you know something I don't?"

Courtney ignored me and grabbed at the doorknob, "can we get out of this room? And can we go shopping? I wanna get something else besides this stupid dress."

I sighed and agreed as we left Gunny's small apartment.

We took a subway ride to 34th street and walked into Macy's. The stores around the Hotel were full of dresses and there was no way Courtney was going to get out of one dress and into another.

Together we got her an average outfit of woolen pants, a plain white t-shirt, nice leather shoes, green suspenders and a woolen hat to tuck her long brown hair under.

We left the dress with the salesman and made our way back to the subway train.

We spent most of the rest of the day digging through news paper articles in search for any mention of Mark Dimond, Andy Mitchell, KEM Limited, or Dimond Alpha Digital Organization. We found nothing but the mention of the train de-railing.

The both of us were sitting in Gunny's apartment when Courtney jumped up.

"Oh!"

I look ed up in surprise, "What?"

She held her hand out to show me that the ring on her fingers was coming to life.

"Well, it's not from me," I said with a laugh as she set the ring on the floor, the sound followed as well as the expanding of the ring and finally it deposited a grey envelope.

I snatched it up and opened it hesitantly, then I gasped, "I-It's from Patrick!"

Courtney put her ring on as I read the letter, I turned and spoke directly to her, "It's about Mark. He says that Mark disappeared in November of this year. He also said that he found out that KEM Limited is stationed in London, England. Mark was suppose to meet with them on November 13th. They don't know what happened to him, but on November 20th a body washed up on the shore in Atlantic City; a male and he was shot. He was wearing a tuxedo with a silver spoon in his pocket that had 'RMS Queen Mary' engraved in it. Mark has booked passage on that ship and Patrick thinks that he was murdered on it."

Courtney froze and snatched the letter from my hands and read it over before she looked up at me, "We have to stop him from boarding that ship!"

"Duh!" I shouted and stood up, everything was coming down on me and I had to take a deep breath, "We have to stop him, we have to find him first."

* * *

I made my way to the front desk of the hotel and had a talk with Dodger, Gunny's Acolyte, about finding out about the location of Mark by way of his patent application that was filed at the US patent office on October 6th. I joined him on a walk and he made a call. Out of the conversation we got an address; 240 Waverly Place, apartment 4A.

The cab ride there was short, I was in the passenger's seat and Courtney and Dodger sat in the back. But when we got to the apartment it was completely vacant, but before we left Courtney found a photograph of Mark and his parents, he had been there. He must have dropped the photograph on an accident.

I felt my eyes fill with tears. Mark... we had to find him.

We asked around the rooms from the fourth floor down, people had seen him but no one had ever spoken to him. They didn't know where he had left to either, or when.

When we walked out onto the curb a taxi pulled up almost immediately, I climbed into the front seat and Courtney and Dodger into the back seat.

"Manhattan Tower Hotel," Dodger said to the cabby, "don't take the scenic route."

"Heh, no sir," the cabby said brightly. "I'll get you right where you need to be."

I froze, recognizing the voice at once. Courtney did too.

"Get out!" She shouted from the back seat.

"Wha?" Dodger asked dumbly.

Courtney was panicking. "Get out of the car!"

I turned to my door only to find that it was locked, the door lock was cut down as well. I shoved myself against it but to no avail. One word came to my mind; trapped.

Courtney tried the same in that back, the results were just as disturbing. I turned to the driver as he chuckled.

"What's the rush? Don't wanna take a _spin _with me?" It was Andy Mitchell, it was Saint Dane. His greasy blond hair fell in his face, he wore a wool cap and your average taxi driver's clothes. How had I not noticed him before we climbed in?

I heard Courtney whisper his name in shock.

"Like hell we do!" I shouted, fear coming out of my throat just as much as words.

"Who?" Dodger asked in confusion.

"Let's roll!" Andy Mitchell said as I turned and began to roll down the window.

Just as fast something hit me so hard that my head hit the partially opened window and I saw stars. I heard Courtney shouting from the back, I felt the car lurch and take off.

We were moving, and fast. I'm not even sure how long we were driving, the spinning and dodging of other cars was obvious. I could taste the blood in my mouth. Saint Dane and Courtney argued back and forth, I could hear someone kicking at the glass partition that separated the back and front seats. I pressed my head to the small dash of the '30's car to try and stop the spinning and the gaining headache.

Courtney shouted something from the back seat, she sounded sad, in pain, but I had no clue what it was about.

My senses were slowly returning, Courtney and Dodger were fighting for a way out from the back seat still, I heard the girl say something that sounded like 'neither will I'.

Saint Dane turned to her as his self now and shouted, "Then you'll just have to die."

I turned to him just as the car went airborne and saw as he turned into smoke and blew out the window. I climbed, or stumbled, over to the driver's seat to try and take control of the car but it was way too late.

I yelled back to them in a daze, "are you two al-" I was cut of as the car hit the water. But that wasn't all that had stopped me mid-sentence. I was shoved forward upon impact as my head hit the windshield, the air was knocked from my lungs by the steering wheel hitting my chest.

Things began to spin again, I felt wetness spilling from my head, I was bleeding and the windshield was cracked.

I was barely holding myself together as I shoved myself against the door. I managed to push it open against the water's demand and it rushed in at me, knocking me back into the passenger's seat and against the other door.

"Bobby!"

I turned and slid open the glass partition, my hands were bleeding too, when had that happened?

"Courtney, Dodger... Come on, we have to... get out of here before.. Before the car pulls us down with it," my voice sounded far away and I felt the blood spilling from my mouth. I had no idea how badly I was hurt, but I could taste it, and that was bad.

I reached in the back seat and pulled Courtney out, she swam out of the opened driver's door just as the water rose enough that I had to hold my breath. I reached into the back seat once again and pulled Dodger down through the glass partition.

We made it out just as the tail end of the car sank below the surface of the water.

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**Ending Notes:**

End of Chapter 1, please wait fer more! Yes there will still be Bark yaoi, just wait fer the fic to develope. Be patient.

Comment? Review? Love?

~KaKaVegeGurl


	2. Chapter 2 Of All The Sharp Tools

**Still There For Me

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**By: KaKaVegeGurl

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**Author's Note:**

Back again so early?!

Once again I want everyone to be aware that if you have not read book 8 then you'll be lost... You have to know the book a bit to read this because a lot of what Courtney goes through on the Queen Mary will still happen, but I'm not going to go out of my way to write all of her mischief, so if you haven't read the book... Read it.

In the last chapter we read how Courtney convinced Bobby to stay on First Earth to help find Mark, it wasn't hard to convince him either, after all... He's in love with Mark, and Courtney has known for some time now. We also learned that Mark will be shot and thrown overboard the Queen Mary if Bobby and Courtney don't stop it, so they have to find him, but they have to save him as well.

They got an apartment location where Mark was supposedly living on First Earth, followed the bread crumbs and came up empty, on the trip back they climbed into a cabby that had Andy Mitchell as the driver, Saint Dane. He knocked Bobby for a loop and drove the taxi into water and Bobby, Courtney and Dodger made it out just in time.

Been dying to find out what happens next? Well sit down, have a nice steaming cup of yaoi and enjoy! Hobey Ho!

~KaKaVegeGurl

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**Side Notes:**

What more can I give you to make this thing grow?

Don't turn your back now, I'm talking to you

Should I pursue a path so twisted?

Should I crawl, defeated and gifted?

Should I go the length of a river

The royal, the throne, the cry me a river

Everything I've done, I've done for you

Oh, I give my life for you

Every move I made I move to you,

And I came like a magnet for you now

What about it, you're gonna leave me

What about it, you don't need me

What about it, I can't live without you

What about it, I never doubted you

Patti Smith - Pissing In A River

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**Chapter 2: Of All The Sharp Tools**

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**FIRST EARTH**

Bobby stopped writing, rolling up the journal and tucking it away in his vest. He stood up and joined Dodger and Courtney against the railing of the ship, they were all silent for a few minutes before he spoke up.

"I'm done."

Courtney turned back to him and nodded, "We should get to searching for Mark."

Bobby nodded, "That was my thought. We'll split up, we can cover more ground that way, Dodger do you think you can get hold any of information about where he's staying? Possibly where he's dining tonight?"

Dodger nodded confidently, "of course."

"Alright, Courtney, you search around the main decks-"

"And where are you going?" Courtney asked with a raised brow, "don't you think we'd have better look inside? There's no way Mark would stay out here just to hang."

Bobby nodded again and grinned widely, "Yeah, I already know that. I've got a few ideas of where to look, "We'll all meet up at the bow of the ship in about an hour."

They split up and Bobby set off for Regent Street, he made his way past a store that sold cigars and across the way from it was a flower shop. Turning to his left he saw it finally, a library, perfect.

If there was one thing Bobby knew more then anything, it was Mark. Mark would've stayed inside, yes, but he was also adventurous enough to browse stores. And a library would be far too tempting.

Bobby combed his fingers through his recently short cut hair and walked into the library. He made his way to the closest woman and smiled charmingly, "Hello ma'am, I'm here to pick up some books that were reserved for a friend of mine."

"Yes of course," The woman walked behind a counter after giving Bobby a blinding smile, "What would their name be?"

"Dimond, Mark Dimond," Bobby said quickly and glanced around. The library was almost completely empty and he noticed a couple browsing the shelves nearby.

The woman stared at him from behind the counter, "Yes we have his books just here," she lifted two books from under the counter.

Bobby grinned wide, what a stroke of luck! He reached out to grab them when he felt a hand clasp onto his shoulder.

"Right this way sir."

Bobby swallowed nervously, he saw the woman's eyes widen in front of him and she pulled the books away from him, he turned around and froze.

"One down, two to go," Andy Mitchell said from behind a couple of officers, "I'm surprised you even came, Pendragon."

Bobby's eyes widened, "Saint Dane."

The two officer's reached out and each took one of Bobby's arms.

"No," Bobby gasped. He couldn't get caught, he had to find Mark. He ducked and twisted around to break their hold, it seemed to stun both of the officers, if only for a moment. He turned and fled from the library.

The second he got through the door he looked back to see the two officers were following after him. He looked forward again and ran right into two people, a girl dressed in an elegant gown and a younger man whom Bobby completely avoided, he ducked his head and kept running, pumping his legs as fast as he could.

He took an immediate right and barged into a pantry, following down it he found another door and took it. He was in a bar, he slowed his walking, trying to look calm and casual as he made his way out of the bar and finally onto the promenade deck.

He didn't stop there though, he followed the deck towards the front of the ship, making it just midway when he heard a voice behind him, it was the officers! He took to the door nearby and walked into a lounge, he ran forward to the other side of the ship and back onto the deck, he turned and took a flight of stairs down two levels.

He walked along the next deck all the way down to the stern and around until he found a lounge. Bobby took a seat finally and closed his eyes, putting his head in his hands as he thought.

Mark was here, he was sure of that, Mark was not only here but he had reserved books. And Saint Dane was here as well, brainwashing him, pretending to be Andy Mitchell.

Bobby rubbed his temples, his headache was killing him.

He waited there until he felt it was time to meet Courtney and Dodger at the bow of the ship. He made his way up the deck he was on, which was 'A deck' and up a flight of stairs onto the bow, on the 'Main Deck', he was the first one there. Within a few minutes he was greeted by a smiling Dodger.

"He's here," Dodger said to him, "He's on the ship."

"I know," Bobby said as he turned, "I went to the library and he'd reserved two books, but I got caught up with Saint Dane. He's here as well. The officer's have been chasing me around a good while. But it's their mistake, me and Courtney have been competing in sprinting for a good while, I'm fast-"

"Guys!"

Bobby and Dodger turned just as Courtney reached them, completely out of breath.

"Hey, where've you been?" Dodger said with a wide grin.

Bobby raised a brow at him, "What are you talking about? You only just got here."

"Shush you two, listen," Courtney grabbed the two and began to drag them off of the main deck, "I saw Mark, I saw Saint Dane also-"

"That makes two of us," Bobby said and Courtney gave her a look, "I bumped into him at the library, I've been on the run since."

"So have I," Courtney said, taking in deep breaths, "I came in the library just minutes after he'd left, he's on board with a woman-"

"After he left the library?" Bobby asked, almost in anger.

"Yes," Courtney looked at him, "what's up, Bobby?"

Bobby frowned and looked down, "I was there before he even got his books, you and I have rotten luck. Do you know who the girl was?"

Before Courtney could say anything more Dodger piped up, "I do, I think she's an actress or something."

"What makes you say that?" Bobby asked in curiosity.

"Because she's using a made up name."

Courtney helped the two across A Deck and back onto the Main Deck.

"I got three names from the passenger list." Dodger said as they continued walking, "Mark Dimond, Andy Mitchell, and a lady. At least I think it was a lady. I never heard of a name like that."

Bobby stared at him, "A name like what?"

"Nevva Winter. Who ever heard of a crazy name like that?" Dodger reached out to open the door as both Bobby and Courtney froze in shock.

The door opened before Dodger could open it and he and Courtney were forced behind it as two Officers walked out, staring down at Bobby.

"Now, now, no more trouble if you will, sir," one of them said and they both grabbed Bobby before he could make another move. They brought him back inside and the door closed behind them.

Courtney and Dodger looked at each other and let out a sigh.

"It's up to us now, I guess," Courtney said after a breath.

* * *

Bobby sat down at the table as an officer sat down across from him and set a clipboard down on the table.

"May I ask what your name is, first of all?"

Bobby glared at the officer, he was about ready to not say anything at all before he decided a name wasn't to hard to tell, "Robert."

The officer smiled wide, "Alright Robert, is there a last name to that?"

Bobby tightened his lips and turned his head away.

"Robert?" The officer frowned and looked at the clipboard, "you've caused quite a bit of problems on this ship, you even attacked two officers."

Bobby glared at the officer, but still he refused to say anything. He was about to stand up when he got a rush of an idea, he grabbed at his stomach and moaned, as if in pain.

The officer looked at him quizzically, "What's that?"

Bobby stood and pretended to stumble and fall on the floor, he moaned in pain again.

The officer rushed to Bobby now, grabbing his arms, "Sir, are you alright?"

Bobby jumped up and punched the officer square in the jaw, the poor man never saw it coming and flew back, hitting the wall. He was out cold.

"Sorry, nothing personal, but you can't hold me here. I've got a murder to solve." Bobby made his way out of the room and up to the Main Deck where he bumped into Dodger.

"Hey!" Dodger shouted as he ran to Bobby, "I found out what room your buddy Mark is in, I'm not sure if he's there though."

Bobby frowned, "Could I have the room number? I'll go and check it out."

Dodger nodded to him and handed a suit to Bobby along with a sheet of paper, "Yeah, change into this. I'll go and get Courtney and we can get Mark. You check his room, his suite. It's on this deck, I wrote it on that piece of paper."

Bobby nodded as he took what appeared to be a suave tux, along with a pair of slick shoes, and watched Dodger trot off.

He snook into a nearby pantry and changed quickly, tucking his old outfit away behind a box and using his hands to slick his hair back. The tux fit perfectly, Dodger was good. He waited in the pantry for a good forty minutes, hoping that it would give the officers enough time to slow down from looking for him.

This time he couldn't say that he didn't attack an officer, because that was what he'd just done. As he sat there he thought of Mark, hopefully Mark was in his room, reading the books he'd ordered and eating carrots. He finally walked back out of the pantry and took off along the deck.

He went down the rows of white doors and found the one that was listed for Mark Dimond, he knocked once, there was no answer.

"Saw that coming," Bobby said as he knocked once more just in case, there was still no answer. He tucked the paper away in his pocket.

Of course Mark wasn't there, just his luck.

"There he is!"

Bobby turned and growled as he saw two officers sprinting towards him, "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me!"

The officer grabbed Bobby's shoulder but the traveler would have none of it, he grabbed the man's arm and shoved him away, pushing the man into another officer.

Bobby took off down the deck, "Get out of that way!" He shouted at a crowd of people, they had just enough time to throw themselves from the middle of the hallway and Bobby didn't slow down. He finally made it just enough to see the three people at the stern of the ship, on the A Deck. He froze, was he seeing things?

He saw in the distance Courtney, Dodger, and... was that Mark? Why was Courtney holding a gun up to him?

He saw Courtney's hands shaking and he saw Mark backing away against the railing. What was Courtney doing?

Bobby felt arms around him, trying to hold him back but he shoved them off and ran towards the stern, "Mark!" He had to stop Courtney. How could it be that the whole time that they were trying to find out who Mark's murderer was, trying to find him in time and to save him, that the entire time it had been Courtney? Where had she even gotten the gun from to do so?

He felt the tears rushing to the surface, blurring his vision, but no matter how many tears he was shedding nothing could've masked the sound that followed his shout.

Courtney had been frightened by his voice, she had already cocked the pistol and had it aimed. When she'd heard Bobby she tightened her gun hand without even thinking. The force was so hard it threw her arm back.

Mark froze, his eyes had locked on Bobby's, he raised a hand to his chest in shock, when he pulled it away he saw the blood covering his palm, "Oh."

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**Ending Notes:**

Gah! What have I done? Zomg! Yes there will be more, much, much, much more!

Comment? Review? Love?

~KaKaVegeGurl


	3. Chapter 3: Words I Couldn't Say

**Still There For Me

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**

**By: KaKaVegeGurl

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**Author's Note:**

Couldn't wait fer more?

If you have not read book 8 then you'll be lost... You have to know the book a bit to read this because a lot of what the characters will go through will still happen, but I'm not going to go out of my way to write all it, so if you haven't read the book... Read it.

Last time, Bobby went to the library in search of Mark and found Saint Dane, he was on the run constantly until he met up with Courtney and Dodger. He was caught and interrogated. Then he escaped and saw Courtney holding a gun to Mark. He tried to stop the murder but instead he scared Courtney and she shot Mark.

You been wondering what'll happen to him? Have a nice steaming cup of yaoi and enjoy! Hobey Ho!

~KaKaVegeGurl

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**Side Notes:**

I feel just like I'm sinking

And I claw for solid ground

I'm pulled down by the undertow

I never thought I could feel so low

And, oh, darkness I feel like letting go

If all the of the strength and all of the courage

Come and lift me from this place

I know I can love you much better than this

Full of grace

Full of grace

My love

It's better this way, I say

Having seen this place before

Where everything we say and do

Hurts us all the more

It's just that we stayed, too long

In the same old sickly skin

I'm pulled down by the undertow

I never thought I could feel so low

Sarah McLachlan - Full of Grace

**Chapter 3: Words I Couldn't Say

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**JOURNAL #29

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**First Earth**

I can't tell you how it felt to see Mark lying there on the deck of the ship; bleeding so badly. It was a wound that made Loor's heart being pierced look like a silly joke.

The gun shot rang through my ears and I saw Mark jerk to the side, Courtney dropped the gun and put her hands to her mouth, Dodger grabbed her and held her back from running to him as Mark grabbed near his shoulder in pain.

"Oh."

I ran to him as he fell to the ground, I slid down on the floor by him and pulled him into my arms. I felt the blood on the back of his jacket.

"Mark!" I felt the tears flowing down my cheeks. There was blood everywhere, soaking his tux, I pulled the black coat away from his body and unbuttoned the white shirt to see the wound.

It was bad, it was a complete circle into his chest, blood poured out and I pressed my hands to his left breast to try and stop the flow.

He stared up at me as the blood stained the deck below him and got into his hair, he watched me as if he were in shock.

"B-Bobby..."

"Don't talk, please," I cried, I stared into his eyes as he smiled sadly up at me.

"I-I missed you, B-Bobby," Mark grabbed my face with both of his hands.

My stomach felt as though I had been punched, he wiped at the tears on my cheeks but I felt the heated stick coating where his fingers were. Blood.

Mark couldn't die. I couldn't live if he died. Not Mark. I felt my heart beating against my chest, even at the same time it felt as though it was climbing through my throat.

"Mark," I sobbed out as he stared up at me.

"Di-did I mess ever-everything up again?" Mark gasped at me and frowned. His eyes were sad and tears fell down his cheeks.

I was shocked as I stared at him, I shook my head, "Y-you never mess up, Mark. You didn't mess up this time."

Mark smiled up at me again and then grabbed my hand against his chest, "I'm y-your a-acolyte, right? You-your's...?"

That froze me, I stared down at him, how could he even ask a question like that?

"Yes. You're my Acolyte."

Mark smiled softly at me and ran his blood covered fingers over my lips. He got a far off look in his eyes and he stared up at the darkening sky, "That's all I ev-ever w-wanted."

I felt him shudder and he looked directly into my eyes.

"To be your's, Bobby," Mark squinted as he squeezed my hand, "I-I can't fe-feel my legs."

"Stay still," I told him as he tried to sit up, his words had thrown me back in thought, he wanted to be mine? What was he talking about?

"We'll get help," I set him down and stood, Courtney and Dodger didn't need me to say anything more, they both turned and ran for the lounge. I moved to follow them.

"Don't leave," Mark gasped out and I turned to look at him, "I don't... want you to go. I w-want you to be th-the last thing I-I see."

"Stop talking like that," I growled out as I saw Courtney and Dodger meet with Mister and Mrs. Dimond inside the lounge, "You're not going to die."

"But I am," Mark said softly, his voice was almost a whisper and I moved to him, he grabbed my jacket and pulled me close to him, "I'm g-getting colder. But it's alright, th-this is the way it was m-meant to be, Bobby."

"No it's not!" I felt the tears filling my eyes again as Mark let go of my jacket, his arm fell to his side and his eyes never closed again. They stayed fixed on me until his head fell back, his body no longer having the life in it to hold it up.

"Mark!" I shouted as he went limp in my arms, "Mark!"

I shook him, nothing happened. I felt his wrist for a pulse, nothing. I felt his neck, still nothing. I pulled him close, hugging his body to mine.

Mark was dead.

I rocked us both back and forth just lightly and buried my face in his hair. This wasn't happening, not Mark. I've seen to much of this for it to happen again. Osa, Uncle Press, Kasha, and Loor. I would not see it happen to my best friend, not Mark. He was... Mark. My Mark. He was no part of this war, all he wanted was to help me.

At that moment I wanted nothing more then to have been the one that the bullet had torn through. Mark was innocent, he was the victim.

I felt hands wrapping around me and yanking me from the ground, pulling Mark up as well. I tried to shake them away but they wouldn't let me go.

"Sir, you should let go of the body now," I heard an officer say to me softly.

I growled in anger, "I'm not letting him go, he's still here."

Another officer placed a hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes, "Let go, son. We need to take care of the body before the crowd gets any bigger."

"He is not a body!" I shouted at the man, but he grabbed at my hands to try and get Mark free.

"He's not a body! He's not a body! He's Mark!"

"Sir, I'm afraid you don't understand," the officer said as he finally pulled Mark from me.

For a split moment, that would last an eternity, I saw his face. Mark's beautiful baby face. His youth still clear with the roundness of his cheeks and his soft baby hairs. His eyes were wide in fear and sadness, long black eyelashes. His mouth was opened slightly, as though he was going to say something to me. His glasses were halfway down the bridge of his nose and I reached up to push them back. His hair was a mess of curls and drying, sticky, blood. His white, unbuttoned shirt was coated red, as was the skin below.

My mind pulled me back in time to when I was so much younger, when I first met Mark, we couldn't even spell our own names. Of all the times when me and him would meet up at my house to play Street Fighter on my old Super Nintendo, and how he would whoop my butt every time with Bison's slide move. When we would go out and shoot hoops for hours, or go fishing just to get away and hang.

I remembered all of the times he'd wait for me during my basketball practices and we'd take the late bus home. The countless times we snook over to each other's houses in the middle of the night. When I first realized how much I loved, adored, and needed him.

I had gotten him into the whole traveler mess in the first place, he had almost died so many times on Eelong. It was all my fault. Mark and I had been inseparable, I still remember the millions of times I had to pry bullies off of him or steal back his lunch money.

When I saw Mark's face staring at me, something clicked inside. Something deep in me. I grabbed at him but the officer pulled the body out of my reach.

The term 'the body' hit me so hard that I fell to my knees.

The body.

Mark.

I grabbed his tuxedo jacket and held it tight as the officers lifted me to my feet again.

I couldn't save Mark. Not only could I not save him, but I think it was my fault that he even died. If I hadn't been there I wouldn't have frightened Courtney and she wouldn't have pulled the trigger.

It was my fault.

Mark's death was because of me.

* * *

**Ending Notes:**

End of Chapter 3!

Please wait fer more! Comment? Review? Love?

~KaKaVegeGurl


	4. Chapter 4: More Than Bent Out Of Shape

**Still There For Me**

* * *

By: KaKaVegeGurl

* * *

**Author's Note:**

More, more?

Still I want everyone to be aware **that if you have not read book 8 then you'll be lost**... You have to know the book a bit to read this because a lot of what the character go through on the Queen Mary will still happen, but I'm not going to go out of my way to write all of it, so if you haven't read the book... Read it.

In the last chapter, well to put it quite simply, Mark died. Courtney shot him and Bobby went through the agonizing experience of holding his love in his arms as he died.

Ready for more, eh? Well please sit down, have a nice steaming cup of yaoi and enjoy! Hobey Ho!

~KaKaVegeGurl

* * *

**Side Notes:**

No hostage has been held like I've

Been holding mine but I'm just fine

Since I've been without you

No prisoner could climb the walls

That I've built up in my mind

Since I've been without you

But I'm holding down and out

I'm desperate without you

Look at the shape I'm in

Talking to the walls again

Look at the state I'm in

Bent and broken is all I've been

* * *

**Chapter 4: More Then Bent Out Of Shape

* * *

**

_Bobby looked at Mark and smiled, "Pick a different person."_

_Mark paused the game, "It's not my fault that you can't beat me."_

"_Only because you're cheating," Bobby argued._

_Mark smiled slyly, "Vega then?"_

"_He does the same thing."_

"_Let's play a different game then, I'm always gonna kick your ass at this one." Mark stood and started to sift through the games, "Mortal Kombat? Tournament Fighters? Biker Mice From Mars?"_

_Bobby stood up, "You didn't mess up this time, Mark."_

_Mark turned to look at him, he smiled sadly as Bobby picked up the controller to the Super Nintendo, "But it's alright. I w-want you to be th-the last thing I-I see."_

_Bobby put the gun against Mark's chest, "I love you, Mark."_

"_I know," Mark ran his fingers over Bobby's lips, unintentionally wiping blood his face, "th-this is the way it was m-meant to be, Bobby."_

_Bobby nodded, seeing Mark's eyes go wide, and he pulled the trigger.

* * *

_

FIRST EARTH

* * *

"It's not your fault."

Courtney rolled up the pages and walked to Bobby, who sat in the same cell with her. Dodger sat in a different cell nearby.

Courtney sat on the bed by Bobby and touched his arm. Bobby sat silently, his arm was stretched out and combing through the black curls of Mark's hair.

Bobby didn't say anything, his face was smeared with Mark's blood, his neck and his tux as well. He hadn't said a single word since they had been pulled from the bow of the ship. He had been interrogated and even shoved and threatened. Nothing got through to Bobby though, he was in shock.

Courtney rubbed his arm, her eyes were red from crying, she shook Bobby slightly, "Hey, it's not your fault."

Mr. Dimond opened the door to Bobby's cell, he walked in and stepped to the two of them, reaching out his arm and set his hand on Bobby's head, "You've been through a lot, Bobby. I'm sorry, you've been like a son to me."

Bobby broke his look from Mark's body for the first time since the shot was fired and stared up at Mr. Dimond, "I should be the one apologizing, it's my fault, Mr. Dimond."

Mr. Dimond smiled sadly, "It's no one's fault, Bobby. But you three are now members on this ship. Let's get you to the suite and get you cleaned up."

The cell door opened up again and Mrs. Dimond walked in, she went to Bobby and Courtney and pulled them both up into a deep hug as she sobbed.

* * *

Bobby stepped into the bathroom and locked the door, he peeled off his clothes and folded them into a pile on the toilet. He turned the hot water up in the shower and stopped to look into the mirror. His hair, which had been cut short, was still slicked back.

On his cheek was an exact smear of blood from four finger tips. There was blood along his chin and streaks around his neck. There was an entire spray of red spots along the left side of his face.

Bobby looked to the clothes on the toilet. His collar had blood smeared across it as well. His bottom of his jacket and the top of his pants was dark with a thick layer of blood.

His hands were more red then they were the tan his skin was normally. He pulled his eyes from the image before him and stepped under the spray of water. He made it a minute into washing the blood from his hands before he started sobbing.

The water below him was red, he wouldn't have minded if it was his own blood. But as he watched it flow down the drain he was reminded that it was Mark's blood. Mark's blood on his skin, blood that should be in his body.

His alive body.

Bobby collapsed on the floor of the tub and hugged his self.

* * *

"He's been in there a while," Mr. Dimond mused aloud, worried.

"Well, he is washing away blood."

Mrs. Dimond frowned at Courtney and bowed her head, "He's in a very bad way. Will he be alright?"

Courtney shrugged sadly, "He loved Mark more then anything. I feel the worst I've ever felt for it. But I can only imagine how bad it is for Bobby."

Mrs. Dimond pulled Courtney into a hug as they both started to tear up.

"There's a lot that needs to be done," Mr. Dimond was writing on a sheet of paper, "We should get back to Manhattan as soon as possible."

The door to the bathroom opened and Bobbed walked out, soaking wet, a towel around his waist.

"I forgot... A change of clothes. The other ones have... Have. They have Mark's blood... On them."

Mr. Dimond stood and rushed to him, he took Bobby back into the bathroom with a pair of clothes, "Sorry, change into this. It should fit fine."

* * *

_Bobby pulled Mark close, running his hands down the chest of Mark's sweater. He pushed up the cotton fabric and ghosted his fingers along his stomach._

"_B-Bobby," Mark gasped out._

_Bobby pulled Mark from the computer desk, shifting through the room to lay him down on the bed._

_He pulled off his basketball jersey and then helped Mark out of the green sweater completely._

_Bobby unbuttoned Mark's shirt and laid kisses down his chest._

_Mark moaned loudly and Bobby had to chuckle._

"_Your parents are still downstairs, careful or they'll here us."_

_Mark blushed crimson and reached forward to unbuckle the belt around Bobby's waist, he slid the jeans down Bobby's knees, boxers and all._

_Bobby pulled Mark's sweats off, he kissed down Mark's stomach and then pulled away Mark's underwear. He reached into Mark's side drawer and pulled out a bottle of KY. He poured it over three fingers of his right hand._

_Mark shifted nervously underneath him as Bobby pushed in the first finger, and shortly after, the second._

_He scissored, feeling the muscle tightening around his fingers, he licked his lips and watched Mark wince when he pushed in the third finger._

_Bobby licked up the sweat from Mark's temple and kissed his swollen lips, he thrust his fingers in, curling when he buried them to the knuckle. Mark arched into him with wide eyes._

"_Oh!"_

_Bobby pulled his fingers away and pulled something from the back pocket of his pants, which were still hung around his knees._

"_B-be careful," Mark whispered as Bobby pointed the gun at him, "This is m-my first time, you kn-know."_

"_Me too," Bobby said as he cocked the pistol._

"_I'm y-your a-acolyte, right? You-your's...?"_

"_Yes. You're my Acolyte." Bobby pulled the trigger.

* * *

_

Bobby sat bolt upright in the bed and grabbed at his chest. His breathing was coming in deep gasps and he looked around, it was dark in the hotel room. He fell back and stared at the roof. It was just a dream.

"Are you alright?"

Bobby looked to his side at the other twin bed nearby and saw Dodger staring at him with a worried expression.

"Bobby?"

Bobby stared at the boy and got a sort of dazed look.

_Bobby put the gun against Mark's chest, "I love you, Mark."_

"_I know," Mark ran his fingers over Bobby's lips, unintentionally wiping blood on Bobby's face, "th-this is the way it was m-meant to be, Bobby."_

_Bobby nodded, seeing Mark's eyes go wide, and he pulled the trigger._

"Bobby?"

Bobby blinked and looked at Dodger, "What?"

Dodger stood up and walked to him, "You're starting to worry me."

Bobby cocked his head as Dodger reached out and pushed down his outstretched arm, which had been pointed at Dodger as if holding a gun.

_Or a pistol_, Bobby thought to himself and looked at his hand.

Dodger stared at him worriedly again, "You okay?"

Bobby nodded numbly and laid back down.

* * *

They spent hardly any more time in London before they took the RMS Queen Mary back to America. Bobby hardly spoke, hardly slept, and when he did sleep he continued to have the nightmares of him shooting Mark.

Mister and Mrs. Dimond tried to comfort him. He only tried to comfort them back however, telling them not to worry about him.

Bobby left to Ibara almost immediately after they reached the hotel in Manhattan. They lost Ibara terribly. He had no motivation against the Dados. Bobby had joined Siry and learned that Ibara was Veelox, three hundred years in the future. Bobby, Alder, and Siry joined together and won the first battle against the Dados. Bobby and Siry had gotten stuck on Ibara in an attempt to trap Saint Dane.

After months of backbreaking labor to try and fix Ibara they were met with another wave of Dados, and lost Ibara completely. Bobby and Siry hardly made it off the island, escaping back to Rubic City, and found that the flume there had been unearthed.

He brought Siry back to First Earth, he had mentioned in his journal thirty-two to Courtney that this was the end. Halla was lost and Bobby was going to give up.

* * *

As they made their way up the steps to the Manhattan Tower Hotel a voice called out to them.

"Pendragon!"

Bobby turned in shock as a man walked to him. The man was beaten, bleeding, and he was haunted looking with sunken in eyes and dirty hair.

"I'm sorry but, I didn't know where else to go," The man gasped out.

Bobby's eyes widened as he took a few steps towards the guy, "Patrick?"

Siry was confused, "Who?"

Patrick grabbed at Bobby's arms and stared into his eyes, "there's a lot to tell you, my friend. But I don't want to do it until we go back and get Mark. I'm worried about him-"

"Mark's dead," Bobby said darkly.

Patrick shook his head wildly, "No, he's on Second Earth. Bobby, Third Earth has changed again."

"What do you mean 'Mark's on Second Earth'?" Bobby asked with wide eyes.

"Well I f-found him on Third Earth," Patrick was about to say more when he collapsed into Bobby's arms, unconscious.

* * *

**Ending Notes:**

Mark's alive! Could it be Saint Dane? Will Bobby fall for such a thing?

Comment? Review? Love?

~KaKaVegeGurl


	5. Chapter 5: Keep My Cool

**Still There For Me**

* * *

**By: KaKaVegeGurl**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Hobey Ho!

So it's been like... A little longer than a year since my last update. These next chapters are going to come out fairly quickly between each other so that I can give readers of this fic some final closure.

This fic has been actually finished fer a long time. I just never got really around to posting up the product here on efefdotnet. XP

So, moving aside from that, the old author's note fer this chapter went as so:

**I'm sure yer aware of my warning from the last 4 chapters...**

I do want to let all of you know that this was never intended to be a long fanfic, so it will be ending soon, in about 2 more chapters or so, I don't plan a sequel but I also don't say never.

Alright so, last time we read that Bobby had been dying of guilt, having horrible dreams of him shooting Mark. His self blame. He then went to Ibara and LOST, terribly might I add. He was stranded there fer six months with Siry and took care of Raina, only to lose it once again to another wave of Dados. He came back to First Earth, just about to quit, when he was interrupted by Patrick Mac; the traveler from Third Earth, whom continued by mentioning that Mark was alive on Second Earth. But questions should obviously arise. Was this before the events on First Earth? Was it Saint Dane? Nevva? A trap?

Want to know yet? Have a nice steaming cup of yaoi and enjoy! Hobey Ho!

~KaKaVegeGurl

* * *

**Side Notes:**

I'm feeling nervous

Tryin' to be so perfect

Cause I know you're worth it

If it ain't coming out

We're not going anywhere

So why can't I just tell you that I care?

What's wrong with my tongue

These words keep slipping away

I stutter, I stumble

Like I've got nothing to say

Yes, I'm wishing my life away

With these things I'll never say

Avril Lavigne - Things I'll Never Say

* * *

**Chapter 5: Keep My Cool**

* * *

**JOURNAL #30**

* * *

**Second Earth**

I'm sorry that I left again so suddenly Courtney, but you know better than anyone that I was in a very bad way after losing to Saint Dane on Ibara. Veelox. I had lost Mark and it just rubbed salt into the wounds when that happened. After that I was far too defeated to care, I was about to quit when I came back to First Earth. Until Patrick mentioned that Mark was here... On Second Earth!

I'll tell you now, I was worried that it wasn't Mark at all, so I was not going to get my hopes up. After all, it could be Saint Dane. It most likely is. Mark is dead. He died in my arms.

I can't imagine a way he'd ever have survived that. We watched him being buried and I stood at the funeral. I'll never forget that. Still I had to check. If there was any chance I could get back my sanity it was this.

So when I made my way to his house on Second Earth I expected to see a darkened home with signs of sales and well... 'Signs'.

What I didn't expect to see was... That the lights were on.

It was about ten o'clock in the middle of the night and the living room and kitchen lights of Mark's house were on.

My heart probably skipped over a few beats when I saw them. I felt fear like I could never imagine. I was afraid.

Was it Saint Dane? Nevva again? Was it a trick? A trap?

I walked to the door before I could argue with myself anymore and knocked.

I waited for more then a few minutes when finally I heard the unlocking of the deadbolt and the door opened.

"H-Hello?"

I think I saw my tears before I even saw his face. His voice broke through the air around me. I felt punched, gutted.

"Mark."

He stared at me with the most beautiful, wide brown eyes I had known and stared back at for over ten years. His hair was the same length it was when he had died.

I hadn't talked to him in such a long time, without it having been while holding him as he was dying, now I had a chance to admire his growth since Eelong. He was older, I could tell immediately. His voice was a shade deeper and he was a couple of inches taller. His hair was still cut as it had been on First Earth. But we both had grown, it'd been over six months since he'd died.

I was over a foot taller then him now. I wore an average jacket I had found at the flume and some torn old jeans and sneakers.

Mark however was wearing just enough to make my jaw drop.

He wore an over-sized white dress shirt that dropped down to about a half a foot above his knees and nothing more. Well, he was wearing socks. Short, plain white average socks. But nothing more then that.

"Bobby!" He shouted, breaking out in a blinding smile and moved from the view of the door, "Come in!"

"No."

Mark frowned at me in confusion and stepped back to the door, he became so serious all of the sudden that I was surprised, "Well, what is it? Is s-something wrong?"

I couldn't contain it anymore, I exploded, and not on purpose.

"Do you honestly think I'm this stupid, Saint Dane?" I shouted at him, "Mark died! I held him in my arms, I had the blood all over me, on my face! I had to wash it off, I couldn't-"

"I know." Mark whispered and moved from the door again, "Come inside, please. We need to talk." He didn't confirm or deny my accusation but I stepped into the house anyways. I heard the door close behind me and I was about to turn around when I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind, and Mark's head against my shoulder blade.

"I'm not Saint Dane," I heard him say, I think he was crying, his hands were firmly placed on my stomach and he finally turned me around, "I'm Mark."

I stared down at him and felt my knees melt, if he was Saint Dane he was doing a damn good job. Only Mark had ever given me that look, it was a look he used when he really wanted something, which was usually 'girl advise'.

"Mark."

He smiled at me and took both of my hands in his, "I am." He placed my hand on his chest and I felt his heart beating, faster then usual. Was he nervous?

Mark took a step towards me, taking his free hand to reach up and run it through my hair.

"I died in your arms. I remember," He whispered softly to me, "Courtney had the gun on me and you tried to stop her, but she shot me. I grabbed at my chest and saw the blood."

I felt my lips quiver and I closed my eyes. His staring was driving me crazy, he was beautiful and sincere. And sad. Like he had something he hadn't told me.

"I saw my whole life flash before my eyes when I fell, and then I saw you and it all came full circle." Mark rested his fingers in my hair and pulled me into a soft, warm hug, "My life has always been about you, Bobby Pendragon. Always has, always will. I'm still your acolyte. Your's."

He pulled away and looked into my eyes again, "I can't tell you how I'm alive. I promised I wouldn't. But you'll know soon enough. Suffice it to say that I am not Saint Dane or Nevva Winter. I'm just me, Mark."

I smiled down at him and then he did something I never expected him to do.

He pushed up, pulling me down to him and pressed his lips to mine. I felt something surge through me, down, past my stomach.

His lips were soft, like wind, or kissing a cloud. I could taste the citrus of his orange flavored toothpaste. A smell I'd grown more then use to growing up with him, a smell I adored.

I didn't lean into the kiss, or deepen it at all, I wanted so badly to wrap my hands around his waist and hold him close. But I didn't. I hardly even responded.

I could feel him close against me, pressing to me, he was warm and soft. His heart was hammering against mine. I could feel it through the overly large white shirt he wore. He may have grown a bit, but he was still so small.

He moaned into the kiss and it almost sent me over the deep end. But that was it, that was all I needed. This wasn't Mark, this couldn't be Mark. Mark was dead and I knew it, this was wishful thinking! Saint Dane has pulled some dirty tricks before, like with pretending to be Spader's father. How could he do this? It was pure evil.

I pulled away from Mark, no... I didn't pull away. I shoved him away, he almost lost his balance.

"B-Bobby?"

"You must be having so much fun with me," I hissed at him, I was disgusted at Saint Dane, "How... How can you do this to me?"

"Bobby, I-I'm sorry," Mark moved to put a hand on my shoulder but I walked away from him.

"Haven't you had enough fun messing with me in Halla." I turned from him and went upstairs to Mark's room, "I can't even look at you. Transform into someone else."

Saint Dane followed after me and I stopped in the middle of Mark's room. It was a mess as usual, I looked at a picture on his desk of me and him. I picked it up and was looking at it when I felt his arms wrap around me again.

"You must think I'm an idiot to fall for this sick joke," I put the picture down and turned to him, I froze. He caught me for a second, the tears spilling on his cheeks, and I got flashes of when he died. As he stared up at me on the cold bow of the deck, bleeding to death.

I growled in anger and grabbed his shoulders, "I'm not falling for it, stop it!"

"I can't stop anything," He sobbed as he looked at me, "I can't transform and I'm n-not messing with you. I'm Mark."

He reached his hand up and touched my face, "Why can't you see it? C-Couldn't you tell if I was Saint Dane? C-Can't you see that I'm just Mark?"

I shoved him away again, this time he **did **fall. Hard. I didn't feel bad. It was Saint Dane. He looked up at me in pain.

I shoved past where he sat on the ground and went out into the hallway, I was about to head out of the house, this was getting ridiculous. Why was he trying so hard to convince me that he wasn't Saint Dane? He couldn't be serious, he had to know that I wouldn't fall for it. I froze and turned to the opened bathroom door.

On the floor were some clothes, it would've made no difference to me otherwise. But I saw a bloody white dress shirt and black pants that could've been a part of a tuxedo. By them were some slick black dress shoes.

I walked to them and picked up the shirt. The blood was sticky, not yet dry. There was a hole through the left chest of it, I ran my fingers over it, a hole from a bullet. I froze when I heard Saint Dane speak behind me.

"I've only been here for a couple of hours. I've only been alive a few minutes before that."

I turned to him still holding the shirt, his hand was bleeding and he was wrapping it up in gauze. I saw a drop fall on the floor and my heart sunk. Mark blood?

Mark walked to me when he finished and he took the shirt from me, "I wasn't wearing the coat, I don't know what happened to it. But they told me that I did die. That I couldn't stay dead. So I got my life back."

"Why?"

He set the shirt down on the toilet seat and started unbuttoning the dress shirt he wore, he turned to me.

"So I could save you," Mark pushed the chest of his shirt away to reveal a very dark, deep bruise on his left breast. Where the bullet had hit him.

"I'm Mark, and I'm alive. And I'll stay alive unless I get shot again, I can still die." Mark walked to me and stared at me, nose to nose, "You wouldn't go on if I wasn't here. I know that. They knew that. I'm sorry that I can't tell you, but you will find out."

I frowned down at him, "Prove that you're you."

"Anything I say y-you'll try to twist enough so that I'm Saint Dane again," Mark said softly, sadly, he ran his fingers over my lips, "I c-can't. I died, Bobby. I still remember everything. But you have no idea how tired I am. I tried so hard to save my parents, only to find out that it was futile in the first place. I was shot, I died. I learned all there was to know, and then I was sent to Third Earth. Patrick was at the flume, he took me here and he left to find you. I've only had enough time to shower off my blood and start reading this book to try and find out what's happening here. I'm Mark. You're here, I'm Mark."

"What book?" I wasn't even concerned about what he was saying to me, he wasn't Mark.

"The R-Ravinia book. Uh... When me a-and Patrick got to Second Earth we were in this weird church and I snagged a book. It's in the kitchen-"

I shoved past him and went downstairs to the kitchen. On the counter sat a new-looking deep red book. Emblazoned on it, golden, was the star. The star that marked the flumes.

There were a few sheets of paper nearby where he'd taken some notes and I froze. I looked at them with wide eyes and noted the symbol near one of the corners of the paper. I turned to Mark with wide eyes.

I walked to him, he looked scared at first and that kind of pissed me off. How could Mark, my Mark, be afraid of me?

I shoved him against the kitchen wall and grabbed his face into both of my hands. I leaned down and pressed my lips to his. I felt his hands rest on my chest for a moment before he wrapped them around my waist and pulled me close.

This was Mark, it wasn't Saint Dane. I had forced myself, convinced myself, that it was, but it wasn't. The stutter, the sad eyes, the bruise, the blood, the tuxedo, it was all real. He was really Mark.

I cupped his face in my hands and felt him lift up against me and press his chest to mine. He moved his arms to my shoulders and pulled me close, the kiss deepened and I found myself pushing him to the wall. His heart was hammering against my chest, his breathing was heightened and he moaned into my mouth, I had to stop before I lost too much control.

When we broke the kiss and I pulled away he stared up at me with wide eyes, "What d-did you see to convince you?"

"That symbol you doodle on everything, the leaf symbol," I whispered and hugged him close.

He was Mark.

* * *

**Ending Notes:**

Squee? Yeah Mark likes anime so I shoved in the Konoha leaf symbol. XP

Comment? Review? Love?

~KaKaVegeGurl


	6. Chapter 6: Symbolic Stuttering

**Still There For Me**

* * *

**By: KaKaVegeGurl**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

This is kinda old written fer me, but I had a few people request it up on FF, so here it is.

**If you have not read book 8 then you'll be lost...** You have to know the book a bit to read this because a lot of what the characters will go through will still happen, but I'm not going to go out of my way to write all it, so if you haven't read the book... Read it.

Last time, Bobby arrived at Mark's house to find he was there, was it Saint Dane? No? After arguing with himself Bobby finally found out that yes, it really was Mark. Need I explain how? Come on people.

Curious fer a lil more? Have a nice steaming cup of yaoi and enjoy! Hobey Ho!

~KaKaVegeGurl

* * *

**Side Notes:**

It's been, it's been, it's been, it's been

su-su-su-such a long time, long time, long time

Since anybody touched me, touched me, touched me

The way that you touch me

So if I stutter, stutter, stutter

Then I feel so, so, so unsexy

So maybe I'll just keep my mouth shut

At least until you kiss me

So kiss me again

Cause only, only you can stop this st-st-st-st-stutterin'

Kiss me again

And ease my su-su-su-su-su-su-su-su-su-sufferin'

Oh, it's been ages, since we've been really honest

But I can make cha-cha-cha-cha-changes

If you really want this

Ben's Brother - Stuttering

* * *

**Chapter 6: Symbolic Stuttering**

* * *

**SECOND EARTH**

Bobby ran his hand over where the bullet had went in, where the bruise was now, "I pushed you down."

"No, it's fine."

"It is not," Bobby spoke a little louder, he stared into Mark's eyes for a few minutes before he reached up. He ran his fingers over Mark's face, traced his jaw, ghosted his lips, and wiped the tears from Mark's eyes.

He ran his fingers through Mark's black curls and then along the frame of his glasses.

Bobby leaned in, pressed his cheek to Mark's and took a deep breath. He grabbed Mark's hands in his and squeezed them. He ran his hands up to Mark's shoulders, past his neck and cupped Mark's face in his hands.

Mark stared into Bobby's eyes, his face was flushed red and he smiled nervously, "Bobby."

Bobby felt his heart crumble at the sound of Mark's voice and bit his lip. This was his Mark, it was. It had to be. There was no way it was possible. But he was positive now that it was.

His Mark.

He'd kissed Bobby. Bobby'd kissed him.

"My Mark," Bobby whispered aloud and he smiled widely, "You've grown up so much without me-"

"I'm still me," Mark said quickly, Bobby still cupped his face and Mark leaned into his right hand, "I was brought back for **you**, Bobby. That's the only reason I'm alive. Because of you."

Bobby shook his head in disagreement, "That's the only reason you died in the first place. Because of me."

"You tried to save me," Mark reached his own hands up to cup Bobby's face in turn, "You tried to heal me. I know you did."

Then he stated, with firm authority; "It was not your fault, Bobby Pendragon."

Bobby swallowed as Mark stared at him, completely serious, completely forgiving.

And Bobby cried. After almost a year of the deepest regrets of still being alive he felt complete again. The only person with the power to lift him from his depression had given him exactly what he had needed for so long, and had denied his self. Forgiveness.

Bobby didn't just cry, he sobbed. He couldn't hold it back anymore, He hadn't cried since he had washed Mark's blood from his arms. He had locked away his pain, and sorrow, and in turn became an empty shell of what he use to be.

Mark wrapped his arms over Bobby's shoulders as he collapsed to the ground, no longer able to hold his self up.

He buried his head in Mark's chest and squeezed the acolyte's shirt with his fists.

Mark let him sob like that for almost half an hour. He didn't interrupt, he didn't say a single word, he just held Bobby close. He rubbed his back, ran his hands through Bobby's hair, which was now just past his ears.

Finally Bobby pulled away from his arms and stared down at the tile of the kitchen floor. He had a pretty bad headache and his face was beet red.

"You must be exhausted," Mark said as he stood and helped Bobby up, "You've been through a lot, I'm sure. You can tell me about it in the morning. Come this way."

Before Mark could move Bobby pulled him into a hug and kissed him. Just a quick peck, nothing more. He felt Mark's body rise into the kiss and Bobby couldn't help the smile spreading across his face.

When Bobby pulled away Mark's face was red, he was blushing. He was still the boy Bobby had grown up with. Sweet, nervous Mark.

"I g-gotta g-get use to that," He breathed out, he moved forward and pressed his lips to Bobby's.

The kiss finished and Mark led Bobby to his bedroom; shutting the kitchen and living room lights off on the way through. They both held hands as they walked, the only thing Bobby could concentrate on was the feel of Mark's fingers. They were angel soft, it felt good against the calloused pads of Bobby's. Everything about Bobby's skin was rough now; from the attempted recreation of Ibara, six months of building the town back up just to be hit by another army of Dados. Brutal and pointless.

Bobby was all ready to sleep on the floor, or in Mark's parent's room when Mark sat on the bed. Still holding Bobby's hand he looked up at the Traveler expectantly.

"If it's n-not too much," Mark stuttered out and it wasn't until he said those words that a thought occurred to Bobby.

He'd only ever kissed before. Of course his dreams were a different story. But he couldn't deny that he wanted Mark. He always had wanted Mark. He thought of Mark in many, _many _ways. He'd often slept in the same bed with Mark whenever they had sleep overs. But that had been alright before, when he didn't know that Mark felt the same for him.

Bobby had to be honest with his self now. He loved Mark, and from the look of it, Mark liked him too. He wanted Mark, honestly, now more then ever. Did he want the same? Bobby didn't know. Could Bobby hold his self back if Mark didn't want it? Well, yes? Bobby couldn't rape anyone, let alone Mark.

If Mark _did _want it, and if Bobby did too, would he be capable? He didn't know. He knew the motions, but this was, in every way, uncharted territory.

Bobby decided he'd be fine. Maybe he was over thinking the situation, it wouldn't be the first time. Mark wasn't sexual. It was a laugh to think he could be. Maybe he'd only ever kiss Bobby. Bobby'd be fine with that, as long as Mark was still alive to do so.

He was about to climb in beside Mark, he even moved to do so, but Mark disagreed.

Mark grabbed onto the traveler's loose Second Earth jacket and pulled him into a deep kiss. He pulled Bobby so far down that the second their lips met Bobby was on top of him on the bed. Bobby didn't stop him, how could he?

Mark ran his hands up into Bobby's jacket. He wrapped his legs around Bobby's waist as the Traveler was wedged between his thighs.

Bobby's brain was locking up. He felt Mark's back arching up to press their bodies together and he reacted on instinct. Bobby lowered his body to Mark.

Mark pushed Bobby's shirt up and Bobby pulled it off for him. The acolyte broke the kiss and stared up at him, red-faced and wide-eyed. His eyes traveled down Bobby's chest and Bobby couldn't help but smile. The training was well worth the hungry look Mark gave him.

The Traveler reached up and began to unbutton his already partially unbuttoned shirt, Mark didn't stop him. When Bobby finished he pushed it open and stared in just as much awe as Mark had at him.

To be honest, Mark wasn't built at all. But that wasn't what Bobby wanted anyways. He wanted him to be Mark shaped, as Bobby remembered him. Mark had a fairly feminine body, for a guy. A smooth, kissable belly and a completely hairless chest. He didn't even have a happy trail. Mark wasn't fat or even slightly over weight. He was thin and pale. Mark.

"D-Don't stare at m-me like that."

Bobby chuckled and leaned down, he first kissed Mark on the lips, then he traveled kisses along the acolyte's jaw line, down his neck, across his collar bone and over his chest.

"Afraid I'm gonna see something I shouldn't see?" He chuckled out.

Mark's breathing was fast and loud, his chest was rising and falling as though he had been running for miles. Bobby pulled Mark's left nipple into his mouth and sucked softly, nibbling and circling his tongue around the hardening nub. He heard Mark stop breathing and was about to check on him when Mark let out a loud moan.

Bobby felt fingers grabbing in his hair, Mark was shaking, his breathing began again.

"B-B-B-Bob-by," Mark muttered weakly.

Bobby moved to the other nipple and chuckled softly when Mark's body raised to meet his lips. Mark was holding his breath again. He only acted on impulse, this was a complete first to him, he was fourteen when he'd left Second Earth to become a Traveler. But his body was being more then obvious to him about what he needed.

When Bobby pulled away and started down Mark's stomach the Acolyte had to say something.

"W-w-w-what are y-you thinking about, B-Bobby?" Mark gasped out as Bobby licked and sucked down his stomach.

"That's some stutter you've got there, Mark," Bobby chuckled between kisses, "Nervous?" He paused, listening to Mark's ragged breathing and whispered, "I'm thinking about how amazingly gorgeous you are. How much I've wanted this."

Bobby stopped and climbed up to look into Mark's eyes, "I'm thinking about how I felt the night you died. How empty I was. And how complete I am now."

Mark stared up at Bobby and smiled, "W-w-what else?"

"I'm thinking about how much we've changed, and yet how little we've changed," Bobby ran his fingers through Mark's hair, "How badly I want you with me. How badly I've wanted in you."

Mark's face had been red before, now it was practically glowing.

Bobby smiled, "And how glad I am that the light is only dim. And not off, because you are the most stunning, beautiful thing, that I have ever seen. And that's a lot coming from me, because I've seen it all."

Mark reached a shaky hand up and ran it through Bobby's hair before he grabbed him by the back of his neck and pulled him into a deep, heated kiss.

When the kiss ended Bobby moved back down to Mark's stomach, "Now that I've told you what I'm thinking about, what are _you _thinking about?"

Mark moaned softly as Bobby intertwined their fingers together and kissed around his belly button.

"J-j-just everything. G-growing up," Mark took a breath when Bobby looked up at him, "M-m-middle school. All the stuff y-you wrote in your journals, about L-Loor."

Bobby frowned at him and released Mark's hand, he then reached his own hand down into Mark's underwear.

Mark's eyes went wide and he sat up, "B-B-B-n-n-n-"

"No?" Bobby raised his eyebrows at Mark and smiled, "Should I stop?"

Mark swallowed and shook his head. Bobby slipped Mark's underwear down his legs, past his knees and tossed them to the floor. Mark blushed even deeper.

"What else are you thinking about?" Bobby pushed Mark back down and sat at the foot of the bed, he licked along Mark's inner thigh.

Mark stared up at the roof, he felt the rising heat between his legs, "Uh, j-j-just that y-you l-look amazing. Y-y-you always have, I w-wish I co-" He cut off when Bobby took him into his mouth.

Mark arched his back and moaned loudly, "Buh..." His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he felt Bobby sucking strongly.

Bobby ran his hand up Mark's stomach and felt his hand taken and squeezed.

"B-B-B-B-Bobby, I-I-I-mm g-g-g-onna c-c-c-c-c-c-c-..." Mark let out a breath when he felt the release hit him, he groaned and laid back down, running his hands through his hair and mumbled out a weak, "N-never gonna finish that sentence."

Bobby swallowed and chuckled as he had taken his mouth away from between Mark's legs. He sat up and pushed down his boxers and let them fall to the floor. He felt Mark staring at him and heard the intake of breath.

Mark's eyes widened as he stared at Bobby. Bobby wasn't an entirely rugged boy, he had no chest hair, save the thin happy trail that ran down his completely cut stomach. His chest was buff from all of the warrior training he'd been through. His skin was a deep tan now and the muscles in his arms and legs were well toned.

Bobby stretched out a top Mark and kissed him deeply. He ran his hands over Mark's frame and let out a moan of his own.

"I've wanted you for so long."

Mark knew he wouldn't succeed in saying anything so instead he fished around under his pillows and pulled out an off-brand of lube.

Bobby smiled wide, taking the bottle from Mark's shaking hands, "I'll be as gentle as... Inhumanly possible."

Mark let out a nervous chuckle and stared up at the Traveler. His eyes widened when he realized that Bobby was nervous. Bobby's eyebrows were down in concentration, he was even biting his lip.

"I don't want to hurt you, Mark."

Mark's heart leapt and he brushed his fingers over Bobby's sweaty brow, "You won't," He said surely and then whispered in Bobby's ear, "I want you, n-now."

Bobby's eyes widened and he kissed Mark, that was all of the motivation he needed, he pressed a finger into Mark and felt the ring of muscle tighten.

Mark moaned when Bobby pushed in the second. The traveler scissored him softly, Bobby kissed him when Mark winced; he pushed in the third finger.

Bobby stared seriously at the acolyte, he kissed Mark deeply as he thrust his fingers in, curling them when he buried them to the knuckle. Mark arched into him with wide eyes and let out a stuttering moan.

Bobby removed his fingers, he grabbed Mark's left leg and pushed it up a bit. He stroked his self, coating his shaft with lube.

"B-B-Bobby?"

Bobby looked up into Mark's eyes, "Yes?"

"It's too quiet," Mark said sheepishly.

Bobby smiled and brushed the hair from Mark's cheek, the room was getting hotter. That one comment reminded him of when they were back in middle school and studying together, the room would grow so quiet that Bobby could hear almost a buzzing in his ears and finally one of them would mention how quiet it was, they'd then start any form of conversation to fight back the overwhelming silence, results of the only serious moments they ever had.

He laid a hand on Mark's waist and began to speak, "Do you remember the pranks we use to pull on Andy Mitchell after he'd bully you?"

"Y-Yeah," Mark breathed out as Bobby started to push into him.

Bobby let Mark's leg go and he held onto Mark's waist with both hands, "I remember giving him a swirly in the sixth grade when he broke your glasses."

Mark smiled and stared at Bobby as the traveler stared back at him, "M-me too. And when you made him eat that cigarette."

"Yeah," Bobby chuckled as he finally pushed in as far as he could, he stared at Mark lovingly, "Those thoughts always make me feel so good; knowing it was Saint Dane the whole time."

"I'd almost forgotten about that," Mark laughed, he reached up and pulled Bobby down into a kiss, "I'm ready."

Bobby grabbed Mark's hand in one of his as he pulled out slowly. He watched Mark wince in pain, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Mark breathed and Bobby thrust back into him.

Mark arched his back slightly and grabbed Bobby's biceps on each side with both of his fists. They stared into each other's eyes as Bobby began to move.

Bobby pulled Mark up into his arms and hugged him close, he had a feeling he wasn't going to last long at this. He felt their slick bodies sliding against one another as he held Mark close to him. He trust into the acolyte, over and over again, each time Mark would let out a small whimper, getting louder each time until he was moaning, almost sobbing.

The acolyte's legs were wrapped around his waist in a vice-like grip. His hands clawing, both in Bobby's hair.

Bobby reached his right hand between them and gripped Mark's cock. He felt Mark arching into him.

"F-f-fa-," Mark sobbed out, Bobby smiled and complied; speeding up the pace.

After almost twenty minutes of him working his hard-earned muscles they both finally came. Bobby squeezed Mark so tight he was surprised when he didn't hear something crack. He moaned Mark's name as he spilled into him.

Mark threw his head back and could only get out an adorable stutter of 'B-B-B-Buh' before he released between them. Bobby all but fell onto him, exhausted, spent. He pulled out slowly and kissed Mark's jaw line.

Mark smiled widely and hugged him close.

Bobby stayed that way for a couple of minutes before an immense amount of energy overtook him. He stood up and went to the bathroom, he grabbed up the paper towels, then came back and cleaned both him and Mark off.

"Tired?" Bobby asked and Mark nodded, turning to stare at him.

Bobby climbed on top of him, kissing Mark's chest and then his lips before he laid his head on Mark's chest, he pulled the covers over them. He hugged Mark close and fell asleep.

Mark ran his fingers through Bobby's soaking wet hair, he smiled wide. He was happier then he had been in a long time.

He had Bobby, he was complete.

* * *

**Ending Notes:**

Just the Epilogue left. ^^

Comment? Review? Love?

~KaKaVegeGurl


	7. Epilogue

**Still There For Me**

* * *

**By: KaKaVegeGurl**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

I hope this fic wasn't too short fer you guys... But then again it was honestly never intended to be really long.

Don't really have much to say so let's just get straight to the Epilogue. ^^

Have a nice steaming cup of yaoi and enjoy! Hobey Ho!

~KaKaVegeGurl

* * *

**Side Notes:**

The space between what's wrong and right

You will find me waiting for you

All your fortresses go down in the night

To the dawn I'll see you through

Cause I know, that you know

You're all over me now

And it's clear, you will show

And your curtains will close

But if your heart is cold

My sheets are warm

I will shelter you

Through the storm

If the answers aren't so easy to find

The questions will have to do

'Cause I've lost myself deep in your eyes

My only fix is you

Saying what I am, what we are,

It's a start towards the truth.

Taking my breath with each day,

All I can stand in my heart it's you

Lindsay Harper - All Over Me

* * *

**Epilogue**

* * *

**SECOND EARTH**

Mark would've stretched and yawned, he even almost moved to do so but he froze instead. He felt the powerful arms that were wrapped around his waist and grinned widely. It hadn't been a dream.

His heart leapt in his chest. He felt the deep breathing from behind him, it surprised him just how strong the breathing was. Bobby had changed so much since he had became a Traveler. Mark wasn't sure what happened after he broke contact and went to First Earth, but whatever had, changed Bobby much more than Loor's training had on Zadaa. He was stronger. Mark could tell the second he had opened the door and saw Bobby standing there, staring at him. His mind flew back to the night before.

* * *

_Mark grabbed the key from it's usual hiding place and opened the door. He walked in and shut it, locking the dead bolt. He took a breath, tossing the Ravinia book on the couch and climbed up the stairs to his room, he made his way immediately to the bathroom and peeled off his clothes. The blood stained and soaked white dress shirt and his pants fell to the floor by his shoes. He removed his underwear as well and turned the water on hot._

_He clambered in and began to wash his hair, even lifting his left arm hurt. His chest ached in pain and throbbed where he had been shot before. He reminded himself, he was grateful for the spirits of Solara bringing him back, but the price was this bruise, in time it would fade, but they had drained most of their life force just to bring Mark back, healing him completely could drain them beyond the point of return. He remembered seeing Bobby's Uncle Press. Press had told him everything, about Bobby's existence and creation, his parents, and Saint Dane's creation of a new, dark Solara. He remembered his promise to keep it all a secret and not tell Bobby what he knew._

_Mark shook the thoughts from his head, he scrubbed away the blood, his stomach turning at the thought. He remembered just vaguely seeing the blood on Bobby's cheeks and knowing it was his own. That had been terrifying as he felt his self fading out as the blood poured from his chest. Mark shook his head again as he felt tears welling in his eyes. He shouldn't think of it, it was fine now, he was alive._

_He scrubbed his body down and finally climbed out of the shower, he couldn't shake the expression on Bobby's face from his mind as he grabbed the toothpaste from the cabinet, rinsed off his toothbrush and began to brush his teeth with the orange flavored toothpaste. He remembered Bobby's tears as he had pulled Mark into his arms._

'_Don't talk' he had said._

_But Mark knew he was dying and he had wanted to say what he had been holding back his entire life, his feelings for Bobby._

_He remembered hearing Bobby shouting his name as Mark felt everything go black._

_Mark shook his head a third time as he finished brushing his teeth, he washed out his mouth and went to his room, he looked through his drawers, nothing was clean. He sighed and went to his parent's bedroom and grabbed one of his father's shirts, which, as he began to put it on, was probably too big to consider but he couldn't bring himself to care. He pulled on some of his socks to keep his feet warm and a simple pair of underwear. It would do. He could do the laundry tomorrow._

_He went and grabbed up some loose lined paper and a pencil and set off back downstairs. He grabbed up the book from the couch and sat down at the kitchen counter and began to leaf through it._

_As he went he took notes and frowned occasionally. Saint Dane clearly had his hand in this, and Mark got an inkling that it was the beginning of the convergence, the book even mentioned the other territories and such. Mark stopped finally and began to doodle along the corner of the page he was taking notes on. He needed to get to Bobby, this was important. He hoped that Patrick would return soon with his best friend in tow._

_Mark pushed up his glasses and began to scribble more notes when he heard a sudden, strong, sharp knock on the door._

_He froze and looked at the clock, nine forty-five. He was about to dive under a table before he smiled wide, maybe that was Patrick now!_

_Mark fought back the urge to run to the door at top speed, instead he walked calmly, he didn't even stop to think of what he was wearing as he walked to the door._

"_H-Hello?" He unlocked the deadbolt and swung the door open. _

"_Mark."_

_Mark froze and stared in shock and amazement, he had expected Patrick, he had hoped for Bobby, but he hadn't convinced himself to actually __**see **__Bobby._

_The Lead Traveler's eyes filled with tears and Mark took that moment to look him over, he had remembered seeing Bobby as he had died and still then he had looked more different then he had when Mark had seen him on Eelong, he had been taller and stronger then. But now the change was even more dramatic._

_Bobby had to be at least six foot five now. He was tall! Mark was probably just grazing five foot six. He wore a plain blue jacket that was almost form fitting, the torn jeans Mark had left some time ago and a pair of worn sneakers._

_He was breathtaking with his broad, strong shoulders and well defined jaw line. His features had matured, hardened. He was more a man now then Mark could've ever imagined him to be. He had a light shade of stubble from being unshaven for a day or so, his hair was longer now, just reaching past his ears, not too long._

"_Bobby!" Mark couldn't help smiling widely, he jumped out of the way to let Bobby in, "Come in!"_

"_No."_

_Mark frowned in confusion and stepped back to the door, the look on Bobby's face was dark and... angry? "Well, what is it? Is s-something wrong?"_

"_Do you honestly think I'm this stupid, Saint Dane?" Bobby shouted angrily, "Mark died! I held him in my arms, I had the blood all over me, on my face! I had to wash it off, I couldn't-"_

"_I know." Mark whispered and moved from the door again, "Come inside, please. We need to talk."_

_Bobby walked in, glaring all the same and Mark locked the door behind him. Mark took a breath and turned to see Bobby's back was to him, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Bobby tightly, he couldn't help himself. He rested his forehead against Bobby's back as tears welled in his eyes._

"_I'm not Saint Dane," Mark turned Bobby to face him and stared up into his eyes, "I'm Mark."_

"_Mark."_

_Mark smiled and took both of Bobby's hands in his, "I am." He placed Bobby's hand on his chest, over his heart and the bruise. He took a step towards Bobby, using his free hand to run it through the softness of Bobby's hair. He felt his heart melt._

"_I died in your arms. I remember," He whispered as he stared into Bobby's eyes, "Courtney had the gun on me and you tried to stop her, but she shot me. I grabbed at my chest and saw the blood."_

_Bobby closed his eyes and Mark frowned in worry._

"_I saw my whole life flash before my eyes when I fell, and then I saw you and it all came full circle." Mark rested his fingers in Bobby's hair and pulled him into a soft, warm hug, "My life has always been about you, Bobby Pendragon. Always has, always will. I'm still your acolyte. Your's."_

_He pulled away, looking into Bobby's eyes and said, "I can't tell you how I'm alive. I promised I wouldn't. But you'll know soon enough. Suffice it to say that I am not Saint Dane or Nevva Winter. I'm just me, Mark."_

_Bobby smiled down at him and Mark couldn't hold his self back any longer._

_He pushed up on the tips of his toes, pulling Bobby down to him and pressed his lips to the Traveler's. His body tingled with excitement._

_Bobby's lips were firm, but soft. Chapped a bit from the dry air of March. Mark opened his mouth and tried to deepen the kiss, but Bobby stood still and didn't respond._

_Mark couldn't stop the moan that escaped from his lips, he was about to pull Bobby closer when the taller boy shoved him away._

_Mark fought to keep his balance and stared up at Bobby with wide eyes, he fought back the tears from the harsh rejection. Maybe Bobby didn't feel that way for him after all, had he been wrong the whole time? Thinking that, maybe, Bobby loved him back._

"_B-Bobby?"_

"_You must be having so much fun with me," Bobby hissed in anger and Mark felt his heart plummet, "How... How can you do this to me?"_

"_Bobby, I-I'm sorry," Mark moved to put a hand on his shoulder but Bobby turned and walked from him. Mark felt his eyes stinging with tears._

"_Haven't you had enough fun messing with me in Halla." He heard Bobby say as the Traveler climbed up the stairs, "I can't even look at you. Transform into someone else."_

_Bobby still thought he was Saint Dane? Mark huffed angrily and followed after Bobby, he felt the tears welling up. When he walked into his room he saw Bobby looking at a photograph of the two of them. Mark moved to Bobby and wrapped his arms around Bobby's waist once more._

"_You must think I'm an idiot to fall for this sick joke," Bobby turned to him, froze, and then growled in anger. He grabbed at Mark's shoulders, "I'm not falling for it, stop it!"_

"_I can't stop anything," Mark sobbed, looking up at Bobby, "I can't transform and I'm n-not messing with you. I'm Mark."_

_He reached his hand up and touched Bobby's face, "Why can't you see it? C-Couldn't you tell if I was Saint Dane? C-Can't you see that I'm just Mark?"_

_He gasped in shock when Bobby shoved him away again, he didn't catch his self this time, he fell, hard on the ground. He felt something pierce into his right hand but ignored it as he stared up at Bobby; who left the room in anger, ignoring Mark._

_Mark got up from the ground and pulled the broken glass from a cup out of his hand. He cleaned up the mess and grabbed the first aid kit from his closet and started to clean up the wound. He looked over to see Bobby walk into the bathroom._

_Mark put away the box and walked out into the hallway as he wrapped the gauze around his hand. He saw Bobby, standing there with his bloody shirt, running his fingers over the hole the bullet had made._

"_I've only been here for a couple of hours. I've only been alive a few minutes before that."_

_Bobby turned to him and a pained expression came over his face as he watched Mark finish bandaging his hand, he watched Bobby's eyes go to the ground and Mark followed them to see that some of the blood had gotten into the carpet._

_Mark walked to him and took the shirt from Bobby's shaking hands, "I wasn't wearing the coat, I don't know what happened to it. But they told me that I did die. That I couldn't stay dead. So I got my life back."_

"_Why?"_

_Mark set the shirt down on the toilet seat and started unbuttoning the dress shirt he wore, he turned to Bobby._

"_So I could save you," Mark pushed the chest of his shirt away to reveal a very dark, deep bruise on his left breast. Where the bullet had hit him._

"_I'm Mark, and I'm alive. And I'll stay alive unless I get shot again, I can still die."_

* * *

"You're thinking a lot."

Mark smiled wide and turned to see that Bobby was awake, "How do you know?"

Bobby smiled warmly at him and hugged Mark close, he pressed his lips to Mark's and squeezed him tightly, "Come on. I've been your best friend for years and we've slept over at each other's houses all of the time. You wake up every now and then and stew about things for hours, just as you did this morning."

"I wasn't aware you were awake all of those times," Mark blushed and buried his head in Bobby's chest, "you could've told me."

Bobby shook his head and grinned wide, "How could I? Being near you, your breathing changes and I can almost hear the gears in your brain working as you think. I love it."

Mark kissed Bobby's chest and pushed Bobby onto his back, he sat up and stared down at the Traveler.

"What were you thinking about?" Bobby asked as Mark climbed over him and sat on his stomach, completely wrapped in the blanket of the bed.

"Last night, when you thought I was Saint Dane." Mark answered as he traced over Bobby's chest.

"I'm sorry I didn't believe-"

"Don't apologize," Mark interrupted him and leaned down to kiss him, "I understand why you did it. I don't blame you, I just remember how you reacted when you noticed it really was me. The look in your eyes."

Bobby smiled and sat up, he pulled the blanket from Mark's body and traced his fingers over Mark's lips.

Mark smiled down at him now, "The love in your eyes."

"Mark." Bobby whispered as the geek pressed their lips together, "want to get some fries from Garden Poultry Deli?"

Mark smiled even wider and nodded to him, "There are so many things that are perfect about that idea."

Bobby stood and Mark was about to as well when he stopped and chuckled, "What?"

Mark pointed at his alarm clock, which had the date and time. Eleven twenty-two, March the eleventh.

"Happy Birthday, Bobby."

* * *

**Ending Notes:**

Done. T_T

Comment? Review? Love?

~KaKaVegeGurl


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